James Best

Voice Description

My voice has been called the voice-of-authority. I am a Bass-Baritone. I can do lighter reads in a younger-mid-age to old age fashion, or more cutting edge clipped, tight & faster delivery. I have a reputation for being the "tag-man" doing tags and disclaimers for Comerica Bank in the Detroit area. I also can do warm and folksy for health care, or the concerned doctor (or kowledgeable pharmacist, dentist)or local farmer. I can do characters such as: '20's tough guy; current day Cosa Nostra; next door neighbor; granddad; banker; chef, Santa, etc.

Voice Genders and "Ages" I Can Perform

• Young Adult Male
• Middle Age Male
• Senior Male

Language(s) of Which I Am a Native Speaker:

• English - North American

I Offer my Services for these Recording Purposes

• Commercials
• Promos
• IVR, voicemail, phone systems, and on-hold messages
• Training, business presentations, sales, and web sites
• Audiobooks
• Videogames
• Documentaries
• TV shows and movies
• Movie and game trailers
• Podcasts
• Songs

Jobs I Am Willing to Take (Union-wise)

• Jobs for AFTRA (US) signatories

• Jobs for SAG (US) signatories

My Union Affiliations and Memberships

• AFTRA (US)

• SAG (US)

My Recording and Delivery Capabilities

• I will go to any designated studio in my area
• I can record and then deliver the audio files via Email
• I can record and then deliver the files by regular mail

Pre-, Post- and Production Services I Offer

• I offer voice direction services

My Home Base

Bay City, Michigan, United States

Accents, Impersonations, Characters and Dialects

Accents that I do are: NYC, southern drawl, Irish, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Danish, British---London posh, cockney, midlands)Mid-Atlantic. I can do characters such as: a '20s tough guy; current day cosa nostra; next door neighbor; granddad; banker; Santa; and on.

I can impersonate: old newsman David Brinkley; Jack Nicholson; James Mason (from Lolita); Tom Brokaw; Elvis; many more.

I can do comic deliveries or dramatic deliveries with equal ease. I can take direction and give results.

My Voice Experience

I have done V/Os for 40 years in the metro Detroit area (as well for other markets)working with all of the big ad agencies.
I have done many voice overs for the Michael Flora Agency: doing Comerica Bank; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MI; Hungry Howie's
JWT agency doing: Goodyear; Delta Dental
Campbell-Ewald agency doing: Chevrolet; Amoco
D'arcy McManus(currently Leo Burnett) doing: Cadillac; Dow Chemical

My Training

I have an Associate's degree. I attended Wayne State University in their Mass Communications section and was involved in WAYN radio station. From there I went to WXYZ and then I worked at WTAK in Garden City doing on-air news. After that I worked at W4 doing the weekend news and general board operations. From there I went to United Sound Systems in Detroit where I was an audio engineer specializing in film soundtracks and radio production. I was there from 1969 for 6 years and then was asked to work for Ron Rose, a voiceover talent and disc jockey in metro Detroit who was starting a studio. I went there, the Ron Rose Productions studio complex in Southfield, MI, and worked for 32 years as Senior Audio Engineer until I left in 2008. I am currently focusing on voice work.
My latest work was a set of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MI Michael Flora spots called "Bob vs the Bees; Bob vs the Snakes; & Bob vs the Bears" recently renewed.

My Studio Equipment

In-home studio is pending. I Can commute to any studio in this area(Bay City)or in metro Detroit to work.

Additional Skills

I am dependable and can take direction well. I can give good results with a minimum of takes. I am well versed in pronunciations and grammer and do very good "cold" reads.

Payment Methods Accepted

• Personal checks, cashier's checks, or money orders in my local currency

Contact Information

To contact James Best by email or phone, please click here.